The Third Wheel

Michael Adams – Romain Édouard

53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Blitz; Biel/Bienne, July 25, 2020

Sicilian Defence B51

Radosław Wojtaszek and Michael Adams dominated the Blitz Tournament (3+2), which was today on the agenda of the Grandmaster Triathlon in Biel/Bienne, thus increasing their lead in the combined standings. Tomorrow is day off. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. Re1 Nf6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 d5?? A catastrophic blunder. After 8. ... e6 9. Nb5 White regains his Pawn with a very slight pull, Antipov – Sakaev, 7th World Blitz Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. 9. Bf4!+− (Δ Nd4-b5) 9. ... a6 10. Nc3 e6 (10. ... b5 11. Bxb5!+−)

11. Rxe6+! fxe6 12. Nxe6 Qb6 13. Nc7+ Kf7 14. N3xd5 Qa5 15. Bb3 Ra7 16. Nxf6+ Kxf6 17. Ne8+ (17. Qg4+−) 17. ... Ke7 18. Nd6 Qb4 19. Nxc8+ Kd8 20. Bd2 Qd4 21. Nxa7 Qxa7 22. Be6 b5 23. Be3 Qc7 24. Qd5 (24. Bb6+−) 24. ... Bd6 25. Rd1 Ke7 26. Bxd7 Qxd7 27. Bg5+ 1 : 0.

Pictured above (foreground) is Adams playing his last round game against Noël Oliver Studer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.